


Risk Management

by Spacecadet72



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-28
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2020-09-28 14:02:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20427173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spacecadet72/pseuds/Spacecadet72
Summary: Marinette puts herself in danger to save Chat Noir.





	Risk Management

**Author's Note:**

> This was my piece for the Kitty Love Zine, a Marichat zine.
> 
> It was such a great experience working on this zine and I'm so glad to be able to share this piece.

Chat Noir dodged a laser beam, flipping back behind a chimney for cover. He called Ladybug again, but still she wasn’t picking up.

“She better get here soon,” he muttered, as the chimney he was hiding behind exploded into dust.

He bounded away, each hit coming closer and closer. This guy was good. Where was Ladybug?

“Hey!”

Both Chat and the akuma, Laser Beam, turned at the voice, coming from the streets below. Chat’s heart stopped for a beat as he looked at Marinette, her hands in fists at her side, a fierce look on her face.

Laser Beam took a step towards Marinette. “Soon it will be Game Over for all of you,” he shouted, holding his arms out for emphasis before training his laser on Marinette.

That was all it took to shake Chat out of his terror. “Not today,” he said, shooting his baton out to knock Laser Beam off balance. When he risked a glance down at where Marinette had been standing, he found the spot empty. Chat let out a sigh of relief. She was safe.

“Sorry, I’m late, Kitty,” Ladybug said as she landed gracefully next to him. “What did I miss?”

Chat grinned at his partner. “Just the fun stuff.”

* * *

Chat landed lightly on Marinette’s balcony later that night, and let out a sigh. He wasn’t looking forward to this conversation, but it needed to happen. He remembered how his breath had caught in fear as he heard her all too familiar shout. Her little stunt almost cost Marinette her life. Yes, it had given Chat an opportunity to get away, and yes she ultimately played a huge role in defeating the akuma, but he couldn’t help but think of all the ways it could’ve gone wrong. No matter how strong, how defiant Marinette was, she was still a civilian, a fact Chat had to remind her of all too often.

The word no barely slipping past his tongue before he bounced straight into action, swooping straight for the akuma, not willing to see Marinette hit with the laser. All he could think of was her. In fact, for the rest of the afternoon all he did think of was her. She was safe, he and Ladybug had saved the day, but the image of Marinette calling out to the akuma, drawing him towards her still haunted him. He had to do something. He never wanted to see Marinette risk herself for him again.

He stretched out his baton and knocked on her trapdoor.

“Chat?” Marinette asked, a smile on her lips when she opened the trapdoor.

“Hey, Princess,” Chat said, trying for a lighter tone, but the weariness shone through.

“Come in,” she said, holding the door for him. He followed her silently, not sure how to start.

“About this afternoon,” he spoke softly, his eyes refusing to meet hers.

“It was no problem,” she said, her voice light and easy. “I was just glad you were able to get away.”

It was no problem? Chat’s eyes widened at her words. Suddenly, his nerves were gone, and all that was left was the fear and anger and worry he’d been dealing with all afternoon.

“What were you thinking?” he asked, his voice low and slow.

“What? I-what are you talking about?” Marinette asked, her eyebrows drawn down in confusion.

“What were you thinking?” Any uncertainty at how to act was gone, anger replacing it. How could she be so cavalier about something so dangerous?

“You could have been hurt.” It probably didn’t help that Chat had spent every waking hour since the akuma attack imagining all the ways in which she could have been hurt. But with an akuma this violent, he couldn’t get the intrusive thoughts out of his mind.

“So could you,” Marinette said, her tone turning angry. “That’s why I had to do something.”

“You shouldn’t have. You should have been getting somewhere safe.” Chat said, his emotions feeling like they were about to overwhelm him.

“I’m fine, Chat. Nothing happened.”

“It could have,” Chat burst out. How could she not see that? “You don’t have the suit, or the powers to protect you,” he said, trying to calm himself down.

“I know that, but if I can help, I’m going to help,” Marinette said, folding her arms. “Besides, you take risks all the time. How do you think it feels watching you get hurt or turned by the akuma?”

“That’s different,” Chat protested. “It’s my job to take those risks.”

“I know Ladybug doesn’t want you to risk so much.”

“My Lady knows as much as I do that we have to do what it takes to protect Paris. I can’t cleanse the akuma. I have to take those hits.”

Marinette shook her head. “We need you to stay safe.”

“How do you think I felt earlier watching the akuma target you?” he asked, walking closer to her. “I take the hits so no one else has to. I can take it.” He paused, and took in a shuddering breath. “I can’t lose you, Marinette.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Marinette said softly, reaching out to cup his face with her hand.

Chat pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly to him.

“I know I’m not a superhero, and I promise not to take any unnecessary risks, but I can’t stand by and watch you get hurt. I won’t,” Marinette said into his ear.

Chat nodded. “I guess I can be okay with that,” he said pulling back from the hug. “I should have known better than to think you would stand by and not help someone. You’re one of the kindest, strongest people I know, Marinette,” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips. “And I know Ladybug.”

“That means a lot, Chat.”

“I’m sorry for barging in here and arguing,” Chat said. “I just couldn’t get the idea of you getting hurt out of my head--”

Marinette put up a hand. “I understand.”

Chat held out his fist, looking at her with a hesitant smile. “We make a pretty good team, Princess.”

Marinette bumped his fist with hers, a wide smile on her lips. “Yes, we do.”


End file.
